Operation: Perfect Christmas
by SamaratinToSin
Summary: Kowalski searches for the perfect present. Skipper's mother comes to town, and Grace attempts a flawless Christmas for Scout's children. Will everything crumble down and create the worst Christmas ever? Or can the penguins pull off a perfect Christmas?
1. Chapter 1

**Well, I couldn't resist the urge to write a Chirstmas special. Sorry I couldn't get it updated sooner I was in the hospital trying out a new pick-up line. 'Oh damn, your kidney is dying. If you give me your number, I'll give you a kidney.' Ok so it wasn't exactly like that but I didn't donate because something went wrong in the middle of surgery and my blood pressure dropped really low, and I had a very weird experiance. If you want to know just PM me and I'll tell you about it. Anyways, on to the story!**

Private was the first one to wake up. "It's Christmas eve eve!" he squealed. "Kowalski! Skippa! Rico! Wake up!"

Kowalski grumbled and rolled over, pulling the pillow over his head. "5 more minutes."

Rico just continued to sleep.

"Where's Skippa?" Private asked looking around.

"He stayed at Grace's last night. He told me he wasn't going to make it."

"Was Grace sick again?"

Kowalski sighed, possibly realizing he wasn't going to get back to sleep. "Well, Private. She is expecting."

"Expecting what?"

Rico began making baby sounds.

"But it's not Skippa's baby." Private looked at Kowalski, who slid out of bed.

"But Skipper does feel responsible because it was more or less his fault."

"What was Skipper's fault?" Marlene asked, dropping through the hatch.

"Nothing. Why would you even assume that anything is or isn't Skipper's fault?" Kowalski quickly tried to cover for Grace.

"Why are you acting weird?" the otter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are _you_ acting weird?" Kowalski returned.

"Why can't we just tell Marlene that Grace is-" Private was cut off by Rico pouncing on him.

"I'll just be going now. You guys are acting more and more strange everyday." she shook her head and walked away.

After the otter had left, Kowalski sighed, realived that crisis had been averted. "Come on, let's go see Grace."

"Akela," the brown wolf sighed. "I wish I could take Aubrey and Allison but I can't."

"Please Grace," Akela was practically begging. "I'm going out. And I promised Scout I'd watch them."

"Tell your new pet no, Key. Be a man for once." Grace rolled her eyes and turned around to go back inside.

"It'll be great practice." Akela raced around in front of her, sliding on the ice.

Grace looked around, paniced. "Who told you?" she whispered.

"It's not as subtle as you think. You've gained weight, and not where you normally do."

"Is that a fat joke. Because I've heard enough from Mani."

"Hawk doesn't know. But Mani does?" Akela tilted his head.

"Yes, Mani was there when the results came back. I didn't want to see them so Kowalski took them to Mani and they read them." Grace tried to walk past Akela, but he stepped in front of her.

"Grace. I don't want to ruin their Christmas. And Scout is working."

"Tough luck. I have plans with the boys."

Akela searched for something to say. "Why? You can't drink."

"I don't care." Grace kept walking. "Marlene and I got our shopping done already. Oh wow. I really just said the 's' word."

Akela began to panic, pictures of his latest fling, a red and white Irish Setter named Lizzie, raced through his mind. Then, he got his idea. "If you don't watch the kids I'll tell the whole zoo about you being pregnant."

Grace stopped, and Akela knew he had hit a home run. "You're bluffing." Grace challenged.

"Oh, Julien!" Akela started for the fence.

"Fine. I'll keep Auby and Alli. But don't expect them to remain sober the whole time."

"Thanks, Grace. I knew you'd see it my way." Akela smiled at Grace and quickly licked the side of he face. "I'll bring the kids by in about an hour."

"I hate you."

"I hate you too." Akela jumped the fence.

Skipper waddled out to Grace. "Where did you go? You should be resting."

"Akela dropped by. I'm -uh- baby-sitting Aubrie and Allison. Scout's kids."

"Wait. You are babysitting them? Why isn't Akela watching his neices?"

Grace followed Skipper back into her cave. "Beats me."

Skipper grabbed a coffee cup and motioned for Grace to lay down.

"I take it Scout's working?"

Grace lowered herself to the floor slowly. "Yeah, she was called out last night late. I guess the girls stayed with one of her friends untill now."

"How are you feeling Grace?" Private appeared in the doorway.

"I'm ok." Grace put her head down. "Not like I once was but oh well."

"The actual odds of you ever being in top physical condition again are 1 in 9 and the odds of you regaining your former feminine appearance are-"

"Ahem." Rico motioned to where Grace was laying. She had a mortified look on her face.

"Sorry."

"When do you plan on telling everyone?" Private asked. "I know lots of animals would be very happy for you."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Grace put her right paw over her eyes, "What if I'm a bad mother?"

"Then the humans were wrong." Skipper took a sip of coffee.

"But the humans are always wrong. So how does that work out to my benefit?" Grace moved her paw.

"Doesn't" Rico grumbled.

"Uhg." Grace covered her eyes again.

Skipper sensed something wrong with his long time friend, "Boys, let's bring a little Christmas to the wolf's den."

"I didn't think of that." Grace stood up. "I am capable of decorating my own house, Skipper."

"I know. But we are here to help."

An hour passed like time usually does when you are waiting for something dreaded, like a dentist appointment or news of a relative in the hospital. And that time, for the boys, passed very quickly. But for Grace, the seconds ticked by, each seemingly twice as long as usual. She paced the floor, since Skipper had banned her from helping. Back and forth, back and forth. Eventually, boredom ot the best of her and the wolf went to visit Marlene.

"So, what are you getting them?" The otter asked.

"Probably nothing. I hate kids."

"Then why did you agree to watch them?" Marlene was busy wrapping presents.

"Because Akela blackmailed me."

"That's awful. Paw." Grace set her paw on the ribbon and held the knot down while Marlene finished the bow. "But, it will be good for-"

"What do you know!"

"It will be good for the zoo to have some pups around."

"Yeah. I suppose." Grace looked back at the wrapping paper.

"Are you alright? You haven't seemed right since your last tip to the vet. Was there bad news?"

"Yes. Well, no. Actually. Maybe. I don't know."Grace looked back up at Marlene.

"Oh my gosh. You aren't pregnant are you?"

Grace thought about lying, but changed her mind. "I-"

"Good. The last thing we need around here is more commando mishaps. I love you don't get me wrong, but can you imagine seven Skippers? Only bigger?"

Grace stopped herself. _How do I tell her now? Damn, Grace, dig yourself outta that one._ "I don't even want to try. I think the kids will be here soon."

"Ok?" Marlene watched Grace leave.

**And there it is. I'm not really in the Christmas mood so I was hoping this would help. I don't think it did.**


	2. Chapter 2

Aubrey glared at Akela. "I am not spending Christmas in a zoo. End of discussion."

"I want to go to the zoo!" Allison pranced around. She was about 6 months old, the equivlent of a three year old human.

Aubrey looked at her sister. "Allison. It's a zoo. With cages and people."

Allison stopped and wagged her tail, "I like people."

Akela sighed and studdied the two sisters. Aubrey favored her dad, with raven black fur and green eyes. But Allison looked more like Akela. She had the same coat pattern, red on her back, with tan on her chest, belly, and nose, but her eyes were brown, not the standard Coal family green.

"Of course you do, Alli. Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas in the big apple? The lights, the pollution, the noise. It's like the grinch and who-ville."

Aubrey dropped her head and shot her sister a glare. "Not to mention the aunt that wants nothing to do with us."

"Grace isn't your aunt. She's just a good friend that offered to take you for Christmas so that you don't have to spend the holidays with Hawk and Deliah." Akela hoped that would change Aubrey's mind, but the older sister was just as stubborn as he was.

"Aub? Grace has insight on ACIS. She'd be a heck of a referance on an application."Akela knew that would help sway Aubrey.

The wolf sighed, "Ok, I'll go. But don't expect me to be happy about it."

"And this has been Chuck Charles reporting live from in front of the Central Park Zoo. Happy Christmas Eve and goodnight."

Kowalski stood next to Grace on top of her cave.

"I don't think he really ever stops talking like that." Grace shook her head.

"This one time, Skipper believed he was Chuck Charles. Yeah, then we fould out he was just acting like that as a training excersise. After we were buried alive."

Kowalski looked at Grace and was met by a confused and slightly worried look.

"Remind me never to let you guys watch my kids." Grace noted, she turned around and started down the path.

"But Eggy turned out fine. ish." Kowalski trailed after Grace.

"Fine? Kowalski, he single-handedly took control of the zoo, I'm no expert but I don't think that's fine."

"Ok, well, you are blowing it out of proportion. Skipper had everything under control."

"Mmhmm." Grace laid down in the cave. "I'm sure he did. Does it ever occur to you that you have all sort of put Skipper on a pedistool?"

"What? Why do you say that?"

Grace rolled onto her side and looked up at Kowalski. "Because, whoa." the wolf looked at her side.

"Is it time?" Kowalski began running around. "Do you want me to go get Skipper?"

"No, It's not time. The puppies moved."

"Oh. Kowalski blushed, "Sorry for freaking out."

"It's ok. Wow."

"What's wrong?" the penguin gave Grace a hopeful look thinking, _please say nothing please say nothing_

"I'm not ready to be a mom. Mammals learn to mother from their mothers, and I'm a bit-uh-challenged?- in that area."

"So your'e worried you won't be a good parent?"

"Yes. What if they don't like me?"

"They?"

Grace pushed herself up and walked over to a shelf. "I've done my research." she pulled a thick brown book off the shelf and allowed it to hit the floor.

"Well, maybe you need to find a mother." Kowalski shrugged.

Just then voices could be heard outside. Grace flicked her ears in the direction of the sound. "Oh boy, speak of the devil."

"Where's my Gracie!" the voice was loud and high pitch, the Jersey accent had faded out after three years in Cali but it was still detectable.

"Hi, Elouise." Grace winced.

"Elouise?" Kowalski raised an eyebrow and looked at Grace, "Like Skipper's-"

"Mummy's here!" Elouise was a heavyset penguin that always smelled like lavender, roses, and babypowder, even though her last child was out of diapers by the time Grace and Skipper had graduated.

"Oh. Well. I'm out." Kowalski tried to make it out the door but Elouise caught him.

"Oh now don't you run off just yet, not without giving ole Elousie a hug."

"Why don't I o get Skipper and you two can catch up?" Kowalski ducked around the penguin and raced out the door.

"That boy never was quite right." Elousie shook her head. "Been sniffing those fumes from his lab too long."

"Actually, Elouise. Kowalki hasn't been in his lab for a while." Grace tried to defend Kowalski.

"Really? How long?"

_About 6 weeks now, ever since I told them all' _ "Oh, it's been a few weeks." Grace smiled, painfully.

"What are you hiding Grace?" Elouise turned to look at the wolf.

"Nothing. WHy would you think that?"

"Momma?" Skipper growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I just came to see my favorite son!" Elouise hugged Skipper.

He pushed her off, "I have 7 brothers. Oh my Gravy who have you killed?"

"What! I would never! I just feel like we haven't spent time together since- well."

"Who wants tea?" Grace yelped, sensing a sensitive subject.

"Since what momma? Say it." SKipper was begining to get defensive.

Marlene walked in next with a basket. "Hey Grace. How's-"

"Oh look. Marlene's here!" Grace yelped, "Marlene do you want some tea?"

"Uh- I just-"

Elouise was begining to whimper, "I just thought- we haven't spent a Christmas together since you ran away."

"I called. Was that not enough?" Skipper threw his flippers in the air.

"No, it wasn't, you father-"

Grace looked around for any inspiration. Then, she had an idea. She yelped and slid to the ground. "Skipper-" she put an extra little hint hurt in her voice.

"What?" Skipper looked at her annoyed. "Oh. Ooooh. What do I need to do?"

Grace stood back up. "Drop the subject, that's what. It's Christmas eve can we go without fighting for 24 hours?"

"You little liar! The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Grace. The Boy Who Cried Wolf."

"Mmhmm. You just keep telling yourself that, Chuck."

Skipper backed up, giving in to Grace rather than have her spill his secrets in front of his mother.

"Ahem." Marlene shuffled nervously. "Is this a bad time?"

"Marlene. This is Elouise, my mother." Skipper studied Elouise again.

"Oh, Marlene. You must be Skippy's girlfriend." Elouise hugged Marlene.

"Girlfriend?" Skipper and Marlene both squealed.

"Skippy?" Grace stiffled laughter.

The penguin shot her a glare. "Don't push it, Gracie Mae."

"Shuting up now."

"Ok, um. Elouise," Marlene staggered back from the hug, "Skipper and I are-"

Skipper jumped forward and tackled Marlene. "Madly in love."

"What?" Grace lost her control and started laughing.

"And Grace is-"

The wolf stopped laughing.

"Knock, Knock!" Akela strode in, two pups behind him. "Thanks for watching the- ELOUISE!

"Akela Coal. Do I need to hold you down and brush that fur?" Elouise put her hands on her hips. "How do you ever expect to get a girl lookin like you just rolled out of the pound?"

"Yea ma'am." Akela gave Grace the _a little warning bark next time would be nice _look.

"Pick your head up. Show some pride."

Grace started across the room, "Akela. Thanks for dropping the girls off. They'll be fine." she started ushering the taller red wolf towards the door.

"Bye Elouise!" Akela called.

"Don't you say bye to me you ol' wag!"

Akela chuckled.

"Would you stop pushing her buttons?" Grace snapped.

"Thanks for watching the girls."Akela pressed his nose on the side of Grace's head. "I really appreciate it."

At that second, Allison fell down and began whimpering.

"Well, that's my cue!" The red wolf spun around and raced off.

"Alli, Aubrey!" Grace sighed, "Come on!"

**What do you think of Elouise? Isn't she wonderful? When do you think Grace will tell everyone she's pregnant? Who is the baby-daddy? And always remember *dramtically stares off into space* to review...**


End file.
